Accordingly, one bright afternoon during the season referred to, he confided his tiny canoe at Gananoque to the tender mercies of the elements that bathe the water-front of that thriving little Canadian town, and taking paddle, headed for Grindstone Island, which lay opposite, with the intention of spending the night there, and rising as early as the bass and the flies beloved of bass, upon the succeeding morn. But, as 'tis his usual wont to dally, he made many strange and unnecessary pilgrimages into channels hitherto unexplored by himself, and bearing above a mirror. From the luminous crests upon its uneven back, it might have been taken for a dragon basking in the blaze from its own resplendency, and staring at the affrighted onlooker with two large lustrous eyes that seemed to illuminate the very cavity 'twixt its tremendous jaws. Slowly it moved along the surface in its serpentine course, as it crept stealthily towards the visitor, casting a shower of phosphorescent darts from its longer horns, and shooting, betimes, a score of ruby and emerald tongues of flame from out its capacious mouth. What could it be? He asked himself the question with bated breath. Had he come upon the gambols of one of those mighty dragons, whose frolics afford the Japanese such infinite studies, in the creation of cameos and carved ivory-work, in the designing of embroidery, and in the embellishment of bronze? Or, had the rareness of the air removed all sense of distance, and were these merely colonies of fire-flies sporting restively 'mid the evening gloom? From the myriad lights it would have seemed possible, had they not been constituted of every conceivable prismatic tint. Had he then been dreaming-there are many who affirm that he is perpetually in this state-and was he simply viewing some musée illusion, through the large end of a magnifying glass? His own diminished self-importance told him it was possible. Meanwhile, the glistening worm continues its circuitous advance. Now he can detect little rings of fire of red and blue, of yellow and green. Anon there is a burst of phosphorescent flame, reddening his every feature; while presently, he almost capsizes his canoe in a vain endeavor to escape the shower of sparks that descends upon his head. Had he happened in this lonely way upon the Hudson, he would have given it but a passing thought and concluded that it was some midnight orgy of the little imps, in "broad breeches and short doublets," whom Washington Irving tells us infest that river. Afloat on strips of bark, they seemed, with fire-flies for lamps, the tails of squirrels as sails, and loons' feet for paddles; led by that "little bulbousbuttoned Dutch goblin, in trunk hose and sugar-loaf hat, which they say keeps the Donderberg." But, as he had every reason to believe that at present he existed some few hundred miles from the scene where such midnight wassails are said to be, and had always been taught that they were never known to be nomadic; how could he place such a construction this distance, it might be taken for upon these things that he now beheld the rattle of the serpent, but, on closer passing before him. inspection, it proves anything but charming. In the interim, the phosphorescent head continues to approach, and the glowing eyes stare with an intensity that is only equalled by the reflection of each, which seems to act in concert with the serpent's every move. By a momentary lull he catches the rushing noise of paddles, a sound of subdued voices, and--there! surely a call. Then a bugle rings clear and sweet, while presently the body and Suddenly, from the centre there is heard a succession of whizzing sounds like those of sky-rockets, only to be followed by a burst of variegated sparks overhead, and a sharp snap like the crack of a whip. Presently, there is an unusual disruption from the head, ending in a flood of meteor-like sparks that dart high into the air after the fashion of Roman candles. From the tail there proceeds a weird medley, emanating evidently from the most primitive of musical instruments. At A ST. LAWRENCE LIGHTHOUSE. tail begin to wrap together, fold on fold, until the entire formation is lost. All is soon quiet. Suddenly a song is started by voices that are masculine. It is an old, rollicking chorus of wide-spread popularity. The mystery is dispelled, the enchantment gone; the fairy dream has evaporated, and the reality of the scene dawns upon us, in all its materialistic certainty. He who has been hugging himself with the prospect of the lonely pleasures of the fisherman, and has allowed his infant imagination to revel in the supernatural, has stumbled upon a popular encampment. The lights in question were those of Chinese lanterns, festooned from the slender spars of canoes: the red and green eyes, monster boat lights, upon the bow of a huge and gaudy warcanoe. The rattling noise that emanated from the tail was indirectly caused by an orchestra of formidable æolian weapons, known as kazoos, while the voices were those of members of the American Canoe Association, who had assembled for their annual meet, to indulge in the free, health-giving agencies with which our fairyland is replete. The scene which thus presented itself to the onlooker, proved to be the issue of an illuminated parade or midnight carnival which was being held by that Association. In effect it was intensely Venetian, Save for the background of her lighted buildings, Venice in her bewitching festivals of illuminated gondolas can hardly surpass the effect of a hundred canoes, delicately freighted with festooned paper lanterns, moving mysteriously in a density of dark sky and water. fold subtle charms with which these camp fires are imbued. Of all the pleasant events that take place at the Thousand Isles, probably they would interest a visitor more than any other. It was a weird picture that presented itself to the onlooker; and one, too, calculated to make a lasting impression. A concourse of jolly canoeists, with strange, suspicious-looking sunburnt noses, assembled round a bright, blazing fire of large extent, which had been located near the water's edge for the benefit of those who preferred to listen from that quarter. At a given signal, a magnificent burst of phosphorescent flame shot up, casting a lurid glare upon a hundred female faces, and radiating to a marked degree the visage of many a good fellow. Amid a display of fireworks from the water, a shower of colored flame on shore, an exhibition of manytinted Chinese lanterns from the tents, the association orchestra struck up a tuneful melody that for harmonious effect and melliflous resonance was supreme. A happy chorus followed, and the merry ring of sopranos and tenors, the mellow sound of contraltos and basses, combined to produce a perfect harmony. When our bewildered cit recovered from his astonishment he paddled for the encampment, which, the lights told him, lay to the east. Here he disembarked, and shambled, in his nondescript fashion, through the various tepees that abounded, getting inexplicably tangled and wound up-mesh- Declamations and songs followed like in the most aggressive of guy- music upon Arcadian instruments, and ropes, and coming into very forcible yet more songs had their turn. The contact with numerous pernicious tree encampment was literally strung with trunks which seemed to go out of their colored lights of every description; way to do him damage. Being in- Chinese lanterns, beautifully tinted, formed that a "Kamp Fyre Konsert" hung from every available branch; was in contemplation, he again betook boat lights-port and starboard-were himself to his canoe to listen from the to be seen in abundance; colored flame water. The recollections of that first shooting up would illumine the orator Thousand Island camp fire must ever and shed a gentle glow over the sea of remain a most precious reflection in his listening faces. It was a weird specmemory. That unlooked for coup de tacle-fairy-like-yet intensely hubonheur was there stamped in lines so man. On the one hand, sat a crowd indelible that time can never hope to of interested spectators, grouped obliterate or diminish one iota. To around a brilliant fire, in a complete describe such revelry is impossible. semicircle. On the other, lay the frail One must experience it before he can canoes, still illuminated by many a realize how utterly inadequate are lingering light, and resting in Lillipupen and pencil to portray the mani- tian dignity, like miniature yachts, 158 upon the silvered water, that mirrored each spark a score of times in trembling uncertainty. Thousands of winged creatures from the St. Lawrence fluttered in the big half sphere of light, with the fantastic bonfire as a centre, and among themswooped numberless bats, their fur shin ing in the glare like silver against the dark sky. Curious-shaped camp stools, with long, thin backs and feet, lay around in profusion. Paddles, erected and formed into fantastic figures, stood every where before us. Chinese lanterns, festooned from trees, produced a lovely It was a perfect night. The moon came out, and shone through the trees with silvery effect. The wind had gone down, and the smoke from the fire in the dip below rose steadily heavenward, in misty form, with a curl, forming a veil that at times totally obscured the view between the horns of the crescent. Curiously bent and crooked |